


mister americana and the heartbreak prince

by imposterhuman



Series: lover [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Boy Tony Stark, Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Fluff, Football Player Steve Rogers, Happy Ending, M/M, POV Steve Rogers, POV Tony Stark, Steve Angst, Steve Feels, Tony Angst, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, so i hope you like it, tiny bit of fluff, very small amount, yall goaded me into writing a second chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-13 03:48:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20575958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imposterhuman/pseuds/imposterhuman
Summary: Steve scanned the bleachers for Tony, squinting against the glare of the spotlights shining on the football field. As expected, though, Tony was nowhere to be found in the crowd. He sighed, hefting his helmet under his arm, and made his way to the locker room.He hadn’t really thought Tony would be there, but it would have been nice to see his boyfriend in the stands of the championship game- that they had just won, for the record. But Tony had a general distaste for all things to do with school spirit and wouldn’t be caught dead at a football game. Steve understood; if he’d had the high school experience that Tony had had, he’d be the same way.It still stung, though, to watch his teammates embrace their boyfriends and girlfriends while he trudged across the field alone. He’d see Tony later, he was sure, but Steve wanted to kiss Tony with the taste of victory fresh on his lips, high on the adrenaline that came with playing and winning.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> got prompted for this on tumblr!
> 
> i almost called this "captain americana and the heartbreak prince" so i feel a lil dorky
> 
> enjoy :)

Steve scanned the bleachers for Tony, squinting against the glare of the spotlights shining on the football field. As expected, though, Tony was nowhere to be found in the crowd. He sighed, hefting his helmet under his arm, and made his way to the locker room.

He hadn’t really thought Tony would be there, but it would have been nice to see his boyfriend in the stands of the championship game- that they had just won, for the record. But Tony had a general distaste for all things to do with school spirit and wouldn’t be caught dead at a football game. Steve understood; if he’d had the high school experience that Tony had had, he’d be the same way.

It still stung, though, to watch his teammates embrace their boyfriends and girlfriends while he trudged across the field alone. He’d see Tony later, he was sure, but Steve wanted to kiss Tony with the taste of victory fresh on his lips, high on the adrenaline that came with playing and winning. 

He passed into the shadows of the bleachers, running a hand through sweat-damp hair. A slender hand reached out to grab his arm and Steve moved on instinct. He had Tony pinned against the wire fence before he even recognized the other boy.

“Whoa there, Captain,” Tony chuckled, leaning into the touch. “A little on edge, are we?”

Steve breathed out, a shaky exhale. “Sorry, Tony,” he said, stepping back. “Adrenaline’s high.”

“I figured,” Tony nodded, taking a drag from a cigarette that Steve hadn't even noticed. He must have been smoking under the bleachers while waiting for Steve. “The game looked like it was… exciting.”

“You came?” suddenly, Steve was breathless for a different reason. “You saw the game?”

“Of course I came, Steve,” Tony said with a roll of his eyes. “I just hid under the bleachers so no one saw me. The same way I- um, nothing.”

“Tony,” Steve said carefully, aware of how his cheeks were flushed. “Have you been coming to all of my games?”

The other boy sighed, adjusting the collar of his jacket. “Maybe I have,” he said airily. “Maybe I haven’t. That’s for me to know and you to never,  _ ever  _ find out.”

“I love you,” Steve groaned, pressing Tony against the fence again and kissing him hotly, sloppy with all of his emotions. 

Tony made a noise of agreement, then he was kissing back just as fiercely. His hands tangled in Steve’s hair, tugged at the back of his jersey until he could slip them underneath, and left Steve gasping. 

(Steve didn’t let it bother him that Tony didn’t say “I love you” back. After all, he never had before. Tony was a heartbreaker; of that, Steve had no illusions.

But if he closed his eyes, Tony’s kisses felt like love.) 

\---

“Run away with me,” Tony said out of nowhere, six drinks in at the afterparty. He was sitting in Steve’s lap, alternating between sips of his beer and pressing kisses to Steve’s neck. 

“I’m sorry, what?” Steve wrinkled his nose in confusion. He’d known Tony wanted to leave; hell, everyone knew Tony wanted to leave. But Tony had never asked him to come with. He’d assumed they’d break up at graduation and go their separate ways, and Tony, for all that he loved the younger boy, had never done anything to disavow Steve of that notion. In his darker moments, Steve wondered if he was only a quick fuck to the boy he loved. 

“Run away with me,” Tony pleaded again, just on the wrong side of too drunk for Steve to reason with. “Come on. We can get out of here, go anywhere we want. We don’t have to stay in this town in bumfuck nowhere for the rest of our lives, waiting for time to pass until we die.”

It was as close to a declaration of love as Tony got, Steve knew. He felt warm all over and he couldn’t stop the smile on his face. But reality was reality, and, well...

“We can’t,” he said, shaking his head. “We haven’t even graduated yet, Tony. We have no money, no plan. And besides, I have family here. Maybe I want to stay.”

Tony got a faraway look in his eyes. “Maybe,” he said softly, like he was dreaming of big cities and fresh starts. Tony had no family anymore, not since Maria’s death. He’d been making noise forever about leaving their small town. If anyone could do it, it was Tony, with all of his genius. “Maybe not?”

“Maybe not,” Steve conceded. “Ask me again when you’re sober, heartbreaker.”

“Aye aye, captain,” Tony’s voice was glib, slurred by alcohol, but his eyes were sharp. “Don’t think I won’t.”

“You won’t,” Steve said fondly. “You have no room in your big plans for me.”

So maybe the four drinks he’d had made him a little maudlin. Tony wasn’t listening, anyway. He was somewhere else in that mind of his, somewhere that left his eyes lonely and sad, somewhere Steve could never follow. He didn’t answer, didn’t respond with some meaningless platitude. Instead, he closed his eyes and rested his head against Steve’s shoulder, a moment of peace in the middle of the raucous party.

(Steve didn’t want Tony to answer, anyway. He was fine living in ignorance, so long as he could have Tony for now.)

\---

“You’re gonna break my heart,” Steve whispered like a secret into Tony’s skin far, far later, when the other boy was passed out on his chest. Tony’s heartbeat thudded softly, breath even and trusting. In sleep, at least, he was still and quiet and  _ Steve’s _ . When the morning came, he’d be off in a manic burst of energy, but for now, he was in Steve’s arms. Steve pressed a kiss to Tony’s cheekbone, watching his lashes flutter. His chest ached a little with the love he felt right then. “And you know what?” He closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep along with Tony. “I think I’m gonna let you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and kudos make me happy!!
> 
> yell at me on tumblr [@imposter-human](https://imposter-human.tumblr.com/)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> graduation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you all!! are wonderful!! your comments made me so happy that i wrote a second chapter to this that is so much happier than the first one
> 
> enjoy :))

Tony wasn’t sure how he’d managed to hold onto Steve for a whole year. Steve was far too good for him; the football star, all-American golden boy of their small town, dating the resident bad boy? It sounded like something out of a truly terrible romcom.

But Steve had kissed the cigarette smoke right off of Tony’s lips, had tangled his hands in his leather jacket, had even ridden on his motorcycle. Every rough, broken edge of Tony that he used to hurt, Steve loved.

And Tony knew he didn’t deserve that kind of unconditional love.

But he couldn’t make himself let go of Steve. Every time he tried to break up with the other boy, the words died in his throat with a single glance at Steve’s smile. Maybe he was selfish, but Tony wanted to cling onto Steve until he couldn’t hold on any more. 

Unfortunately, it seemed that their relationship was approaching its expiration date. Graduation had come and gone in a blur, leaving Tony finally  _ free  _ to get the hell out of dodge. He had no obligations holding him back; Maria’s only wish had been that he finish high school, and Howard sure as fuck didn’t care what he did. Tony had college offers from all over the country. 

He could go wherever he wanted. 

Only, Steve wasn’t going to be coming with him. They had never discussed it, Tony shutting down all attempts with distracting kisses, but Tony knew.

Steve’s home was their small town, with his mother and Bucky and Peggy. To be fair, if Tony had a family like that, maybe he’d want to stay, too. But the fact was that he didn’t, and Steve did, and that meant their paths were going to diverge very, very soon. 

Tony never wanted to break Steve’s heart. He was well aware of his reputation- not undeserved- but he wanted to be better for Steve. He should’ve known from the first time that Steve kissed him and called him “heartbreaker” that this would be how they ended.

Tony couldn’t not leave, and Steve couldn’t not stay.

With that realization, Tony lit another cigarette where he had snuck out of Natasha’s graduation party, leaning against the wall and breathing in the warm summer air. He had to think of a way to break up with Steve that wouldn’t shatter his own heart in the process, but he was drawing a total blank.

Tony took a long drag when he heard the door creak open and footsteps on the porch come towards him. 

“Tony?” Steve called softly. “That you?”

“Over here,” Tony said dully, stubbing out his cigarette. Steve didn’t like the smoke.

Steve came around the corner, a concerned look on his face and an envelope in his hand. “Are you okay?” he asked, grabbing Tony’s hand lightly. 

“Always,” Tony shrugged, eyes far away. “What do you need, Steve?”

Steve was shuffling his feet, oddly nervous. On any other day, Tony would have tried to put him at ease, but he couldn’t be that cruel. He couldn’t comfort Steve, only to break up with him minutes later. 

“I got a letter today,” Steve started awkwardly. “You’re going to MIT, right?”

Tony nodded, confused by the subject change. “In Boston, yeah,” he said. The truth was, he had yet to commit to the school, not wanting to finalize his leaving without Steve by his side. The deadline was soon, though, and he had to make a decision. “Why?”

“I got a letter,” repeated Steve. “From MassArt. I got in, Tony.”

“And?” Tony wished he hadn’t stubbed his cigarette; he could use a distraction. “Aren’t you going to the state school so that you can be close to home?”

Steve shook his head. “I didn’t even apply,” he said quietly. 

“What?” Tony clapped a hand over his mouth in shock. “Steve, you-”

“I don’t want to go to the state school,” Steve interrupted, infinitely tender. “Not when you’re going all the way to Boston. So I looked into MassArt, and they’re giving me a scholarship, Tony. There’s no reason not to go.”

“No reason?” said Tony, incredulous. “Hmm, let me think. Your friends, your family, your-”

“But not you,” Steve stepped closer, close enough that Tony could feel the heat radiating off of him. “You won’t be here.”

“No,” Tony looked up at Steve. “No, I won’t be.” 

_ I would be,  _ he thought, something he’d never give voice to.  _ If you asked me to stay. If you wanted me to stay. I would hate it, but I’d stay. For you. _

Steve would never ask him to stay, not when he knew it would hurt Tony. Steve wasn’t that kind of person. Even if it hurt him, he’d send Tony away because it was what Tony wanted, what Tony needed. 

“It’s a ten minute drive,” Steve said breathlessly. “From MIT to MassArt.”

Tony’s heart was in his throat. “You can’t drive,” he croaked, refusing to acknowledge the flutters of hope.

“Then I’ll bike,” Steve’s smile was wide, all-encompassing, and Tony couldn’t help but to smile back. “Or run, or something. It’s two miles, Tony.” 

“You’d do that? For me?” said Tony, doing his best to keep the tears in his eyes where they belonged, rather than spilling down his cheeks. “You have a life here, Steve. A family. I’m just your highschool sweetheart. You’ll get sick of me, then hate me for making you leave your home.”

“Oh, Tony, no,” Steve whispered, cupping Tony’s face with his large hands. His own cheeks were unashamedly wet. “I could never. Besides, I can’t stay here forever. I want to see the world, too. I want to see it with you.”

“I-” Tony stuttered, overwhelmed. Only Steve Rogers could ever render him speechless. “Me too.”

Steve kissed him softly, tasting of salt and hope and something Tony couldn’t quite describe. “I love you,” he said, reverent. “And I’d follow you anywhere, heartbreaker. You know that.”

_ Love _ . That was what Tony couldn’t find the words for. He turned them around in his mind, tasted them on his tongue. 

“I love you, Steve Rogers,” he said finally, raw truth echoing in his voice. He pressed wet kisses to Steve’s face, unable to stop the giddy laughter or his tears. Steve held him tightly, like he’d slip away otherwise. But Tony wasn’t going anywhere, not ever, if he could help it. “I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and kudos make me happy!!
> 
> yell at me on tumblr [@imposter-human](https://imposter-human.tumblr.com/)
> 
> EDIT: this is now part of a series! check it out!!

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos make me happy!!
> 
> yell at me on tumblr [@imposter-human](https://imposter-human.tumblr.com/)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [captain americana and the heartbreak prince](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21361048) by [desitonystark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/desitonystark/pseuds/desitonystark)


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